


Things You Said When I Was Crying

by Kaslyna



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-03-24
Packaged: 2018-03-19 08:56:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3604140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaslyna/pseuds/Kaslyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, Root wondered what Shaw would make of what she'd become.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things You Said When I Was Crying

**Author's Note:**

> This came from [this](http://amanda-rosewaters.tumblr.com/post/114457005103/send-me-a-ship-and-one-of-these-and-ill-write-a) list of prompts on Tumblr.

Sometimes, Root wondered what Shaw would make of what she’d become.

She didn’t wonder all the time-thinking about Shaw was too painful beyond thinking about finding the people who’d hurt her and making them pay, making them tell her if Shaw was alive or not. Root did what she had to for the Machine to keep them all alive, but when she was free, she spent time chasing ghosts and fragments of truth. There were nights, though, when Root couldn’t help it; those were the nights she allowed herself to stop, to wonder what Shaw might say.

Those were the nights, too, when Root couldn’t stop the tears from coming. Harsh sobs wracked her body; occasionally these nights would get so bad she’d bury her face into a pillow and scream. She didn’t have to wonder what Shaw would say to these rare displays of weakness; Root liked to think she knew Shaw well enough to know exactly what she’d think of it.

Shaw would roll her eyes; of that, Root was certain. Shaw had never been comfortable with emotional displays, and Root had never faulted her for it (most days, Root wasn’t comfortable with them as well). Maybe Shaw would glare, or avert her eyes, or leave, after she’d realized that Root couldn’t stop when she’d started. Root wouldn’t blame her for it either; she was sure she wasn’t a pretty sight.

But maybe she’d stay. 

Maybe she’d say, “Stop being melodramatic.”

Maybe she wouldn’t even waste words; maybe her demand would be as simple as, “Root”, drawing out the ‘t’, mouth curling around it with frustration, a warning as it had always been.

Maybe she wouldn’t say anything at all. Shaw was a woman of action, after all; maybe she would simply stay, standing there frozen and out of her element, but staying nevertheless.

But on those nights, it was cathartic to imagine how Shaw would react. To imagine the possible scenarios would cut her like a knife; but after, Root could feel like she wasn’t drowning anymore. Like she could breathe. Like she could go on fighting, go on searching for Shaw. It wasn’t pretty, but it was what it was.

And on those nights, maybe that was enough.


End file.
